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Hi Jacqui & all A quick search on the Cambridge Life Sciences abstracts database threw up these. The first one has a deer sourcing case study. The latter ones are not exactly what you're after, but might be of some help. Title Strontium isotope composition of skeletal material can determine the birth place and geographic mobility of humans and animals. Author Beard, B L; Johnson, C M Affiliation University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Geology and Geophysics 53706, USA. [log in to unmask] Source Journal of forensic sciences, 2000 Sep, 45(5):1049-61 Abstract The Sr isotope composition measured in skeletal elements (e.g., bone, teeth, or antlers) can be used to infer the geographic region that an animal or human inhabited, because different regions tend to have distinct Sr isotope compositions, and natural variations in the relative abundance of Sr isotopes are not changed as Sr is processed through the food chain. Therefore, an organism that ingests Sr from one region can have a Sr isotope composition that is different than that of an organism that ingests Sr from another region. The Sr isotope composition of skeletal elements is a reflection of the concentration-weighted average of dietary Sr that was ingested while that skeletal element was produced. Because different skeletal elements grow and exchange Sr at different stages during the life times of organisms, Sr isotope analysis of different skeletal elements can be used to infer changes in geographic location at different stages in an organism's life. The Sr isotope composition measured in human teeth will reflect the average Sr isotope composition that was ingested as a child, due to the immobile nature of Sr and Ca in teeth after formation, whereas the Sr isotope composition of bone will reflect the average isotopic composition over the last ten years of life, due to continuous biological processing of Sr and Ca in bone. Inferring the average isotopic composition of dietary Sr is best done by analyzing skeletal fragments from control groups, which might be animals that have the same feeding habits as the animal in question, or, in the case of humans, analysis of close family relatives. In cases where it is not possible to construct a Sr isotope database from control groups, it becomes necessary to estimate the isotopic composition of dietary Sr based on geologic principles. We present three case studies from our research that illustrate a range of approaches: (1) results from a criminal case where a deer was illegally harvested and the location of the deer was important to establish, (2) a pilot study of commingled human remains from a burial in Vietnam, associated with the Vietnam Conflict, and (3) a study of 13th and 14th century migration of peo ple from an archeological site in the Southwest United States. Title A review of tissue reference values used to assess the trace element status of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Author Wilson, P R; Grace, N D Affiliation Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. [log in to unmask] Source N Z Vet J, 2001 Aug, 49(4):126-32 Abstract AIMS: This paper reviews the principles for the establishment of biochemical reference criteria for assessing the trace element status of farmed livestock and summarises data for copper, selenium, vitamin B12 and iodine for farmed red deer. COPPER: Enzootic ataxia and osteochondrosis occur when liver copper concentrations are below 60 micromol/kg fresh tissue, and serum copper concentrations are below 3-4 micromol/l. Growth responses to copper supplementation have been equivocal when blood copper concentrations were 3-4 micromol/l, but were significant when mean blood copper concentrations were 0.9-4.0 micromol/l. No antler growth or bodyweight response to copper supplementation was observed when blood ferroxidase levels averaged 10-23 IU/l (equivalent to serum copper concentrations of 6-13 micromol/l) and liver copper concentrations averaged 98 mumol/kg fresh tissue. These data suggest that 'deficient', 'marginal' and 'adequate' ranges for serum copper concentrations should be 5, 5-8, and 8 micromol/l, respectively, and those for liver copper concentrations should be 60, 60-100, and 100 micromol/kg, respectively. SELENIUM: White muscle disease has been reported in young deer with blood and liver selenium concentrations of 84-140 nmol/l and 240-500 nmol/kg fresh tissue, respectively. No growth-rate response to selenium supplementation occurred in rising 1-year-old deer when blood selenium concentrations were less than 130 nmol/l, the range in which a growth-rate response would be expected in sheep. VITAMIN B12: Vitamin B12 concentrations in deer are frequently below 185 pmol/l without clinical or subclinical effects. No growth response was observed in young deer with vitamin B12 concentrations as low as 75-83 pmol/l. A growth response to cobalt/vitamin B12 supplementation occurs in lambs with serum vitamin B12 concentrations 336 pmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: Data that can be used to establish reference ranges for assessing trace element status in deer are limited. More robust reference values for farmed red deer need to be established through further studies relating biochemical data to health and performance. Title Species and Ecosystem Level Bioindicators of Airborne Pollution: An Analysis of Two Major Studies. Author Grodzinski, W; Yorks, TP Affiliation Nat. Resource Ecol. Lab., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA Source Water, Air, & Soil Pollution [WATER AIR SOIL POLLUT.]. Vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 33-53. 1981. Abstract Longterm research projects in the Niepolomice Forest in southern Poland and the Colstrip area in southeast Montana, U.S.A., were analyzed for both organismic and system level indicators and monitors for SO, trace elements, and fluoride pollution originating in nearby coal-fired industrial processes. Species of lichens exhibited changes in morphology and survival and pine species exhibited pollutant accumulation in needles at both sites. Declines in Scotch pine growth in Poland of up to 20% were compared with declines in western wheatgrass rhizone biomass in Montana to illustrate system wide effects on primary productivity. Directly observable declines in decomposition rate were noted for both sites at higher pollution levels and tied to system wide occurrences of nutrient deficiency and toxicant buildup in soil pools. Pollutant increases in deer antler composition, changes in grasshopper dietary patterns, and lichen density and health were postulated to have system level implications as well. Bored at work? Who, me? Cheers Amanda -----Original Message----- From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jacqui Mulville Sent: 08 September 2006 09:47 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [ZOOARCH] Antler - where does it come from? Dear all, Does anyone know of any work on sourcing red deer antler? Or the relationship between antler and bone in terms of isotopic signals.....strontium would probably suffer from diagenesis, but has any work on carbon, nitrogen or oxygen, lead or other trace elements been undertaken? Or would that be a can of worms? Just wondering how to find out how far antler has travelled to sites in order to reconstruct the environment and biology of red deer. Does antler show any geographical variation in isotopic signal? Or do we need experimental work to find out? Any/all ideas welcome. jacqui Jacqui Mulville, Senior Lecturer in Bioarchaeology, Examinations Officer School of History and Archaeology Cardiff University Humanities Building Colum Drive Cardiff CF10 3EU http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/hisar/people/archaeology/jm1/ Tel: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4247 Fax: + 44 (0) 29 2087 4929 http://www.bbc.co.uk/ This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system. Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received. Further communication will signify your consent to this.